2002-2003 Picks

Syracuse Gives Boeheim 1st Championship

The Syracuse Orangemen defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 81-78, at the New Orleans Superdome to claim the national championship for the 2002-03 season. It was the first championship in the 27-year career of Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. The Orangemen were led by freshman Carmelo Anthony, who scored 20 points in the game and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Anthony chose to forego the rest of his college career and entered the NBA draft, where he was selected third by the Denver Nuggets. Here’s the complete rankings for the 2002-03 NCAA season.